Books on my College Packing List

If you read last week’s post, you know that an interesting twist has been thrown into my fall reading plans for 2018. Rather than the semester sneaking up on me and kicking me squarely in the pants, I am fully aware that it’s going to kill me and am hopefully prepared to take whatever it throws at me.

(If you didn’t read last week’s post- which you should, by the way- I’m moving onto campus a week from tomorrow to continue my degree, taking seventeen credit hours, and very possibly signing my death warrant. Wish me luck.)

That said, and micromanagement being a favored coping mechanism of mine, here is the list of books I plan to read- and reread- over the course of the fall semester. Some I’ve grouped into seasons (aesthetics are important, after all), but others are just floating around to fit in whenever I have time. My rule going forward is that, once I finish my current library books, I can’t check out any more so we’ll see how long that lasts.

Before the Fall Semester Begins:

And by this I mean before next week. So yikes.

Red, White, and Royal Blue (CR)

A library book that I’m currently reading- and absolutely adoring. It’s cute, hilarious, and the #SquadGoals (man did I just say that out loud?) are real. I’ve been having a hard time getting through books lately for whatever reason, and this is breaking through that block. Thank God. Considering how, at the time of writing this, I have thirteen days left to finish all of these.

Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune (CR)

Also a library book. This is a such a sweet book and I love the food in it so much (giving me alllll the Hong Kong flashbacks), but it too has fallen victim to my readers’ block. Definitely hoping to finish this in time!

House of Salt and Sorrows (CR)

I started this ARC awhile back, then picked up a shelving shift and came home with six library books. It seemed promising (albeit a little predictable), so I look forward to finally finishing it!

American Gods, Graphic Novel Vol. 2: My Ainsel

I read the first of these graphic novels in a single night and now I’m hooked. I’m planning to finish this one before starting the show!

Cruel Beauty

I picked up Crimson Bound two years ago without realizing that it was a sequel and completely not in the mood for this kind of gorgeous crossover. That said, I’m going back to the beginning to give it a second chance. I’ve heard excellent things, both about these books and this author, and I can’t wait to dive in!

The Witch Boy

I picked up this middle-grade graphic novel the other day, and I’m honestly so excited to read it. It seems adorable and also addresses the dangers of rigid gender constructs so… pretty much right up my alley. Apparently, there are two others in the series, so I’ll have more to look forward to… once I attack my non-library TBR.

Fallish Books to Read

The Accident Season

and

Spellbook of the Lost and Found

Moïra Fowley-Doyle is one of my all-time favoritest of favorite authors, and despite having reread both of these a few times I never have reread them in the fall. Which seems odd considering how fallish the aesthetic is. It is my complete and utter dream to be able to write atmosphere like she does, so rereading them with a hot mug of cider seems like a good place to start.

Bad Apples

Another Moïra Fowley-Doyle book, but this is one that I haven’t read. I’m probably going to need to order this one as my library doesn’t seem to have it (and because I, you know. Need to own it stat.), but I can’t wait to get to it!

All the Crooked Saints

I’ve owned this one since 2017 and it still isn’t my oldest of the unread books. Yikes.

It’s also come to my attention recently some of the problematic aspects of Maggie Stiefvater’s character and actions (and it’s not even a new thing? so I guess I’ve been living under a rock, oops) which makes me pretty sad- I loved the Raven Boys and, as with Moïra Fowley-Doyle’s writing, would love to be able to write like Maggie Stiefvater does. As such I will not be flailing as much as I have in the past over her books, and I do not plan to write a review for this one. I am a white woman, thus making me unable to comment specifically on the treatment of magical realism and culture in this book, and judging from what I’ve heard in other reviews and through social media that is a pretty big part of the story.

Sorcery of Thorns

And now to better yet slightly shameful things! This has been out making waves for over two months now, and I still haven’t read it. Hooray. I adored An Enchantment of Ravens (which I also plan to bring and reread) and I can’t wait to dive into another Margaret Rogerson book.

An Enchantment of Ravens

What can I say? Aesthetic to the max, and so much better than A Court of Thorns and Roses in my opinion. No creepy fae sex is definitely a plus. That is all I shall say about it.

Ahem.

Bone Gap

I actually live about two and a half hours away from Bone Gap, Illinois, so who knows? Assuming I’m not drowning in work, this could be a Labor Day road trip. Paired with Garden of the Gods… hmm…

When the Moon was Ours

I hear so many good things about Anna-Marie McLemore, and yet I’ve only read a few of her short stories? This seems like a good place to start in terms of her novels.

Wintery Books

The Bear and the Nightingale

yeS to darkly magical Russian folklore retellings. My roommate and I are both very aesthetically-oriented people and this seems to check all of the boxes for winter folktales!

Sky in the Deep

I’m super excited to read this half because I’ve heard good things about it and half because I’m literally minoring in what could be consided Viking history. I’m a sucker for anything Scandinavian and this, to say the least, is definitely Viking.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy

If you haven’t read this series, do it. dO IT. DoSaB is another one of my absolute favoritest books of ever and 90% of the reason I would likely kill to go to Prague. I need my beautiful monsters back, stat.

The Language of Thorns

Leigh Bardugo has my heart forever and this book of fairytales is probably one of the most beautiful books I own.

Other Books to Bring

Whether these are to read, reread, or just to have on hand for reference purposes, these ended up with an automatic place on my shelf. This is dangerous territory, and I’m living for it. xD

We Hunt the Flame

This keeps popping up on my social media and I can’t wait to get into it. Not only is it such a beautiful book on the outside but I’ve seen so many aesthetics and read so many summaries that it’d be a crime to hold off on it much longer. 

Nevernight Trilogy

I need to reread these books before Darkdawn comes out and, frankly, I’m stoked to return to my dark stabby murder children.

Emergency Contact

I don’t have a ton of favorite contemporary books, but this is definitely one of them. Petition for more NA books like this!!!

Shades of Magic Trilogy

Must I say anything at all? One of my absolute favorite series and one I can’t leave home without. As I said on Instagram the other day, Victoria Schwab has my heart and my wallet and I can’t go without it.

The Folk of the Air Trilogy

Planning a reread before Queen of Nothing is released and maaaan do I need it. What a series. What. A. Series.

Classic Folktale collection

Now for some of the reference selections, I’m cheating here because this is a few books: Grimm’s and Anderson’s Fairy Tales, Golden Fairy Tales, Best-Loved Folktales of the World, and The Rubiyat of Omar Khayyam. It’s my dream to get a masters’ or even a PhD in folklore, and these fit the aesthetic perfectly.

Faeries

It’s a coffee table book, I know, but it’s such a beautiful coffee table book and I love it. The art is incredible.

The Canterbury Tales

I may or may not be taking a class called “Medieval Journeys” with a heavy focus on the Canterbury Tales so this’ll be excellently helpful. And ridiculously funny.

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So this has been a crazy long post- thanks for sticking it out to the end! I unfortunately probably won’t be able to bring all of these at once (we’ll see once move-in begins), but these are the books I plan to read over the course of the fall semester. Who even knows how much time I’ll have. xD

For all of you bookish college students out there: How did you decide what to bring? 

Until Wednesday,

Katie

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